Page 331 - bible

First Book of Samuel 325

12 Now the sons of Heli were children of Belial, that his sons did to all Israel: and how they lay
not knowing the Lord, with the women that waited at the door of the
13 Nor the office of the priests to the people: tabernacle:
but whosoever had offered a sacrifice, the servant 23 And he said to them: Why do ye these
of the priest came, while the flesh was in boiling, kinds of things, which I hear, very wicked things,
with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand, from all the people?
14 And thrust it into the kettle, or into the 24 Do not so, my sons: for it is no good report
cauldron, or into the pot, or into the pan: and that I hear, that you make the people of the Lord
all that the fleshhook brought up, the priest took to transgress.
to himself. Thus did they to all Israel that came 25 If one man shall sin against another, God
to Silo. may be appeased in his behalf: but if a man
15 Also before they burnt the fat, the servant shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for
of the priest came, and said to the man that him? And they hearkened not to the voice of
sacrificed: Give me flesh to boil for the priest: their father, because the Lord would slay them.
for I will not take of thee sodden flesh, but raw. 26 But the child Samuel advanced, and grew
16 And he that sacrificed said to him: Let on, and pleased both the Lord and men.
the fat first be burnt to day, according to the 27 And there came a man of God to Heli, and
custom, and then take to thee as much as thy said to him: Thus saith the Lord: Did I not
soul desireth. But he answered, and said to him: plainly appear to thy father’s house, when they
Not so: but thou shalt give it me now, or else I were in Egypt in the house of Pharao?
will take it by force. 28 And I chose him out of all the tribes of
17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, and
exceeding great before the Lord: because they burn incense to me, and to wear the ephod before
withdrew men from the sacrifice of the Lord. me: and I gave to thy father’s house of all the
18 But Samuel ministered before the face of sacrifices of the children of Israel.
the Lord: being a child girded with a linen 29 Why have you kicked away my victims, and
ephod. my gifts which I commanded to be offered in the
19 And his mother made him a little coat, temple: and thou hast rather honoured thy sons
which she brought to him on the appointed days, than me, to eat the firstfruits of every sacrifice
when she went up with her husband, to offer the of my people Israel?
solemn sacrifice. 30 Wherefore thus saith the Lord the God of
20 And Heli blessed Elcana and his wife: and Israel: I said indeed that thy house, and the
he said to him: The Lord give thee seed of this house of thy father, should minister in my sight,
woman, for the loan thou hast lent to the Lord. for ever. But now saith the Lord: Far be this
And they went to their own home. from me: but whosoever shall glorify me, him
21 And the Lord visited Anna, and she con- will I glorify: but they that despise me, shall be
ceived, and bore three sons, and two daughters: despised.
and the child Samuel became great before the 31 Behold the days come: and I will cut off
Lord. thy arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that
22 Now Heli was very old, and he heard all there shall not be an old man in thy house.